My name is Esmy Jimenez.
I was raised in a small town in Washington State known for agriculture and friendly people. I graduated from the local high school as the Senior Class President. I was in National Honor Society and enrolled in all the AP classes my school provided. I even ran on the cross country team and (attempted) to play tennis. On weekends I worked for a catering company…

My name is Pat. My first "American" family member got to these shores in 1621. His name is William Claiborne and there is a plaque dedicated to him in the church at Jamestown. However, the other half of my family is Irish. The Irish side of my family, while I am not certain, very likely arrived here without any papers since they fled here during the famine. So, in…

In 1998, I met my immigrant husband in Chicago while I was in AmeriCorps and going to school. By that time, he had been in the US for almost 10 years--he had earned his GED, learned English, and moved up from his original position as dishwasher to become a kitchen manager.
We fell in love.
In 2002, we got married in his hometown in Mexico. We were told that petitioning…

While sitting at a scholarship pageant, I remember how an idyllic teenage girl explained that her dream was to become a teacher. I was a cynical teen in those days and so I rolled my eyes as her sweet, but very breathy voice tinkled the words, "I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way." I had to chew on the sides of…

My story starts with single mother with a small child who happens to be born in Mexico. My name is Erika, I am that small child. My mother decided to give me a better life and she left me with my grandmother at a very young age. She moved to the U.S and would send money so I could go to a private school. By the time I was nine…

Senator Michael Bennett (CO) is is an American businessman, lawyer, and politician. He is currently the junior United States Senator from Colorado, and a member of the Democratic Party.
He previously worked as managing director for the Anschutz Investment Company, chief of staff to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, and the superintendent of Denver Public Schools.

Alexander B. Howard is the Government 2.0 Correspondent for O’Reilly Media, where he reports on technology, open government and online civics.
These are his thoughts on America, shared values, and immigration

I wrote this to inform others about our story as immigrant students.
This is the story of a journey to education of two Venezuelan-born brothers who aspire to finish college and begin their careers as professional individuals. Edgar Jose Castro Tello, 26, and Edgar Jesus Castro Tello, 20, both immigrated to the United States in 1999 with their parents Edgar Jose Castro Maldonado and Aleyda Walkiria Tello de Castro looking…

John Maeda is the president of the Rhode Island School of Design. He is a Japanese-American author, graphic designer, computer scientist, university professor, and was named one of the 21 most important people in the 21st century by Esquire magazine.
His work in design and technology explores the area where the two fields merge.
This is how he sees what it means to be an American.

I Stand With the #1of11Million

Sign and share the petition in support of #1of11million.

Congress has failed to act on immigration reform. Now, while President Obama weighs executive action, eleven undocumented Americans have stepped forward, risking deportation, to proactively apply for deferred action--entry into a legal program that could prevent them from being ripped from their families and communities. The #1of11Million campaign is led by Define American in partnership with the National Immigration Law Center.

In telling these eleven individual stories, we are highlighting the complexities of the immigration system and bringing attention the 11.7 million undocumented Americans that reside in the US and are a valuable part of our communities.

Send a clear message to the President and to the media. Stand with these 11 brave undocumented Americans, and the 11 Million they represent by signing the petition.